Distant Systems

Is life in the Core Systems getting you down? Fed up with the constant hassle from overbearing port authorities, searching your ship with a fine-toothed comb every time you dock? Angered by being turned away from port because all the berths are full, when all you want to do is relax in front of the latest holo-vids at the nearest bar?Sounds like you need to get away from it all for a while, but if your Cr rating doesn't stretch to a fortnight at the Cisco Theme Park in Epsilon Eridani, where's best to go?Well, you could do a lot worse than check out this selection of distant worlds where the locals aren't quite so cynical, the beer's a lot more interesting and you can chill out in total anonymity. So get that jump drive serviced, stock up on fuel and go explore.

Hobeti

System Name : HobetiCoordinates : 0,-12Planet Type : Outdoor ice and water worldTemperature : 3°CDistance from Sol : 99 lyDistance from Achenar : 133 lyNotes : Relatively close to the Core Systems, Hobeti is still far enough off the beaten track to give the weary traveller a well deserved break. This is mainly due to the total absence of star ports in the system - there aren't even any ports on the surface of Home World, the main planet. This means you'll have to land rough somewhere and with only around 1000 colonists on the planet you'll need to make sure you take plenty of supplies with you, because help will not be at hand should things go wrong. This is a cold planet and may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you're looking for a total wilderness within 100 ly of Sol, and you can handle a bit of pirate activity on the way in, this could well be the place for you.

Soenti

System Name : SoentiCoordinates : 1,10Planet Type : Frontier Outdoor World With Farming and TourismTemperature : 42°CDistance from Sol : 83 lyDistance from Achenar : 118 lyNotes : Another remote system still within 100 ly is Soenti. The main planet, Nesbitt's Legacy, is a very warm world over 2 AU from its parent star. There are two main settlements here, Yamaha Village and Mitterand City but even added together they are home to no more than 100,000 people, and those people have little time for matters which arouse so much interest in the Core Systems, so this is one place a commander with too much publicity for their liking can hide away in for a while, with all the creature comforts of home.Due to the long year, the pace of life is much slower than on Earth or Capitol, just be careful not to spend too much time outdoors in the midday sun, as there have been fatalities among offworlders not accustomed to the type F star's searing heat.The star chart's rating of this system as an anarchy is quite misleading - pirate activity is low and political matters are much improved since the last survey team reported from here.

Anquphi

System Name : AnquphiCoordinates : -3,-10Planet Type : Two Indigenous Worlds and One Terraformed WorldTemperature : 51°C, 4°C (Indigenous Worlds) and 22°C (Terraformed World)Distance from Sol : 81 lyDistance from Achenar : 55 lyNotes : At first glance, this may not seem to be all that different from the bustling worlds in the heart of the Federation or the Empire, but on further consideration, Anquphi offers a great deal for the traveller who fancies something a bit different. There are three large life-bearing planets here. The innermost - Williamson's Haven - is too hot for most humans to cope with, although things are bearable in the polar regions. The next planet - New World - is perhaps a little too cold although many millions have a comfortable life exploiting the huge natural reserves here. Thankfully, the third planet - Hooper's Trial - has been terraformed and has understandably become the focus - both politically and commercially - of the whole system.Stay at Hooper's by all means, but the other two worlds are fascinating in their own right and should be visited if possible.

Quurce

System Name : QuurceCoordinates : -5,-12Planet Type : Indigenous WorldTemperature : 17°CDistance from Sol : 107 lyDistance from Achenar : 81 lyNotes : Quurce (pronounced Curse) is one of those places that you might not notice as you pass through the south-western parts of the galaxy, which would be a shame as the 10,000 or so inhabitants here are justifiably proud of the standard of living in the main settlement, Molotov Starport. As this planet has only been occupied by mankind for around 30 years, the extent of the human influence has only spread a few miles beyond the starport where everything is centered.

Ayace

System Name : AyaceCoordinates : 6,-15Planet Type : Indigenous WorldTemperature : 30°CDistance from Sol : 127 lyDistance from Achenar : 93 lyNotes : The people from Emerald don't get a lot of visitors from the Core Systems and even fewer from Federation citizens, due to the Federal interdict imposed many years ago. This is actually a pity as the populace has made great efforts to make their planet as welcoming and attractive as possible. The strange thing is, no-one is quite sure why the interdict was issued in the first place but it seems quite likely that, as is often the way with these things, it is something that the government was responsible for, rather than the people.Nevertheless, the ban remains to this day and Federal citizens would be well advised to heed it. Of course, as a free-roaming independent trader/combateer, you are unwilling to be pushed around by the nanny state that is the Federation but it may be wise to alter your ship's records on returning to Federal space, so that no trace of your trip here remains.

Liaessso

System Name : LiaesssoCoordinates : 9,-9Planet Type : Indigenous WorldTemperature : -8°CDistance from Sol : 104 lyDistance from Achenar : 78 lyNotes : Another reason why some places don't get many visitors is because the systems guide which comes with every space ship has got the details wrong in a few systems - Liaessso for one. There is a thriving population here, despite the low temperatures, with over 2 million people living in O'Rourkeville alone. Trade with surrounding systems is brisk, especially with Sobeeth, where the scorched planet of Home World is the complete opposite to Discovery, the main planet in Liaessso. Many wealthier types from O'Rourkeville travel to Sobeeth to bask in the warmth of their worlds. Those fortunate enough to be able to afford the fare from Sobeeth to Liaessso do so for the ice and snow based sports. Those foolish enough to venture away from the main areas run the risk of attack from the ferocious local carnivores, however.

Ceayve

System Name : CeayveCoordinates : 11,12Planet Type : Indigenous WorldTemperature : 33°CDistance from Sol : 130 lyDistance from Achenar : 153 lyNotes : Ceayve seems like the ideal place to visit if you've had enough of humankind altogether, since there's not another soul on the entire planet here. But before you set your autopilot, there's a couple of things you should bear in mind.The first is that though there may not be another human being anywhere on the planet, that does not mean the place has no life at all. The place may be teeming with all kinds of creatures, many of which will run away as soon as you go near them. Many more will come and eat you. Remember, there are no rules here, other than those you live by yourself. So if any kind of inhabitant attacks you, you must be prepared to fight back with whatever means you have at your disposal.The second point concerns space psychosis, previously only thought to affect pilots in outer space. It is the mental difficulty in dealing with complete loneliness and separation from other people for long periods of time. It is now accepted that a person remaining alone on an uninhabited planet for any length of time may also succumb to this illness. An appointment with your therapist or psychiatrist is recommended if you intend to remain in a place like this for more than a few days.Other than that, have fun!

The systems listed above are only a very small selection of the interesting and varied worlds spread throughout this part of the galaxy. Humans may not have reached all systems yet, but those that have been colonised are well worth a visit - from those fledgling settlements of only a few hundred people to the major star systems with a billion people or more. Uninhabited systems outnumber inhabited ones by a huge amount and, whilst care is needed here, they are also fascinating places to visit for a while.With hyperspace drives becoming ever more reliable and ships able to accommodate their crew in great comfort for longer than ever before, there really is no reason to spend all your time in the Core Systems any more.

Click here to load a pdf file containing a list of some distant star systems with outdoor worlds